Arabian Nights
by isibelly
Summary: Every day, the Caliph chose a new wife. Every evening, they were wed and she was crowned Calipha. Every morning, she was executed. Runaway princess Lucy knows exactly what kind of trouble when she’s asking for when she escapes from an arranged marriage - to Persia. When she's selected as the king's newest wife, Lucy realizes her life may not be the only one at stake. Arab AU / NALU
1. Prologue

**happy thursday morning, loves! I was reading through my old blog posts to see if I could catch any typos and I realized most of them were not exactly the cheerful type (and a lot of them were open-ended flash fiction with no happy endings :( I really need to extend some of them). In the end, it kind of made my day depressing, so I promised myself I would (try to) write one with lots of sweet moments, or perhaps one holiday-themed. (and i decided to scramble for the sake of posting this on my birthday haha) I wrote up this little snippet as a sneak peek to what WILL be a much longer piece (perhaps a novella? who knows?). think of it as an rough intro snippet! this should be much more action-packed and jazzy than my other little shorts, so enjoy! :) see my bio for my blog site!**

note: multi-chapter story! bookmark my site or follow to keep track of "Arabian Nights"

 **based on Arabian Nights**

 **Risk All**

Puffing her cheeks, Lucy blew at the little strands of hair hanging over her face, but the perspiration beading down her forehead plastered them to her skin. She had heard notorious tales about Persia - the scrolls stacked neatly in her father's library noted each bandit attack, commoner mob, _royal execution._

"But still," she scoffed to herself as she slung a bag over her shoulder, "I'd sooner die than be engaged to some stranger Father paired me up with."

After traveling for five days straight and only stopping to nibble at hardened bread, she was exhausted by the time she reached the gates of the king's palace.

"Nice try, sweetheart, but the Caliph isn't going to make time just to see to your little girl problems."

Lucy whirled around. _Honestly._ The frustration she had kept bottled up during the journey was beginning to crack.

The palace guard sneered, legs crossed in an arrogant manner as he leaned against the bars of the gate. He raised a mocking eyebrow.

Almost ready to snap back, Lucy bit the inside of her cheek to prevent a retort she would most likely regret saying later tumble out.

She exhaled sharply. "Yes, thank you for that."

She had traveled this far already, and she wasn't about to let a snobby guard ruin her happy ending. But of course. How in the world had she expected to just knock on the king's gate and be given a home in his country?

She closed her eyes. "Look, can you please just-"

"It's almost sunset and I still haven't found one yet!" A new voice interrupted her.

Lucy's eyes flew open. Two men, both dressed from head to toe in royal fabrics, strolling towards the gates. One was nearly bald.

 _Ah, the vizier and his son,_ she guessed.

The guard snapped straight suddenly, bowing low to the vizier and his son. They dipped their heads respectfully in return.

 _Pretentious brat,_ Lucy thought, glaring at the guard. His eyes still trained on the vizier, he smirked in response.

She sighed, knowing she would never get anywhere like this.

"O Great One," she addressed the guard as he turned to her. Her words dripped sarcasm.

He gave her a flat look.

"Look, I don't have a home. I...I ran away from my family." It was true, though. She _had_ run away from her kingdom.

"What do you want the king to do about that?" he asked her, eyebrows raised.

Lucy took a deep breath, steadying herself. She was not going to cry, she was not going to cry, not in front of a guard making fun of her-

She stepped closer, now an inch away from him.

"You know what?" she hissed, feeling a twinge of satisfaction when she saw his eyes widen. "I have been through hell and back. I've starved myself trying to get away from an detached father. I've survived the desert and bandit traps to escape a marriage I have absolutely no say in. If I were the king, I would have at least a shred of kindness, even if it was just giving me a place to stay in for a night."

The guard's smile was gone now. His eyes gleamed dangerously.

"For a night?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. " _Yes._ "

He walked through the gates, heels clicking. He didn't bother to wait for her or turn around.

"Come along, _Calipha_."

 **That's a wrap! Remember, this is just a little intro I created to get into the feel of Arabian Nights. The chapters coming up will be 1000+ words, I promise! -xoxo, isi**

 **next up: chapter 1 release 1/4**


	2. Alice in Wonderland

**wooo, it's 2018! hope you all had a wonderful new year 3 can you believe it's already january? social media is now posted on my blog, feel free to stalk anytime (jk, there's literally nothing, but hit me up whenever) these are not my personal accounts though. (isicelaudre on instagram twitter)**

 **anyways, enjoy! -a thousand and one kisses, isi**

 **Chapter I: Alice in Wonderland**

"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." -Alice from _Alice in Wonderland_

FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT

Everywhere she looked, there were luscious, dark hair wrapped into tight updos and suspicious stares through dark lashes.

Lucy sighed as she admired the Persians' beautifully bronzed complexions; they reminded her of being the black sheep of the family. While her siblings and parents had olive complexions and soulful, deep chestnut eyes, she received light freckles across the bridge of her nose, pale skin that burnt pink and red so easily in the desert, and blinding golden locks, a dead giveaway that she was not from here. Carefully, she tucked any trace of her blonde wisps back under her headscarf.

 _I can't risk it,_ she thought. _As soon as they see blonde hair, they'll know for sure I'm not from here. It's a wonder they haven't suspected yet._

The guard clapped his hands obnoxiously, snapping her back to reality.

"Hurry up, girl!"

She rolled her eyes, a habit she needed to break, _rapide_.

"Did you just...roll your eyes at me?" he asked, incredulous.

" _No, I bowed down to you_ because I'm _so_ honored to be in your presence."

Lucy made a mental note to add sarcasm to the list of bad habits. Glancing back up at the guard, she shook her head and continued moving. She tried to ignore the _click-click_ of the guard's boots in front of her, noting the details of the Caliph's palace in case it ever came in handy later. For what? She didn't know.

While her father's palace in Greece was exquisite with its elegantly molded columns and gardens woven throughout the residence, the Persian palace was magnificent. Stately, to say the least.

 _Marble tiles?_ Check. _Intricately embroidered rugs?_ Check. _Pink hair?_ Che-

"It's salmon, not pink. Don't ask me why it's so different." The guard's deep voice echoed across the hallway.

 _Had she spoken that out loud?_

"Yes. Done admiring me yet?"

At a loss for words, Lucy sputtered, "I wasn't-"

"Don't worry, you're not the first."

Before her jaw could fully unhinge and drop to the floor, they rounded a corner, where three more guards stood waiting.

The insufferable guard practically shoved her into them and pretended to dust off his hands.

"There you are, my queen. Or should I say..." He leveled a questioning stare at her, pausing for her name.

Lucy hesitated. _Better be safe than sorry._ "Lyra Hart."

"Right, _Lyra_ ," he tested it out like a new dessert dish. Facing the guards, he started filling them in. "This is the new queen. Make sure she gets fed before she enters the Royal Chamber." _What was she, a dog?_

He glanced at her. "And she probably needs water. Her voice is so raspy right now that it hurts my ears-"

"You're so-"

"-charming, delightful, and handsome?" The guard waved his hand at her. "I already know, darling. No need to remind-"

 _"You're so vain!"_ Lucy burst out.

The trio of guards seemed trapped between being amused and frightened. Their eyes flicked back and forth as if they were watching some kind of royal play.

"Pardon?" he asked icily.

She grit her teeth. She could not afford to lose her cover here, not when she was a part of the Greek royalty. Glaring at the guard, she curled her fists in an attempt to prevent herself from doing anything she would later regret.

"That's what I thought," he continued, satisfied. "Please escort her there."

When he walked away, one of the guards stepped forward and offered her a wary smile, beckoning for her to follow.

"My name is Gray, my lady," he said as soon as they were out of earshot, and Lucy looked up in surprise. Gray was structured similar to the cocky guard from earlier - lean, muscular build, perfect for a king's guard. "Sorry about that. Unfortunately, that's his normal self."

' _I would hate to see his bad side_ ' hung at the tip of Lucy's tongue, but she bit it back in an effort to be polite.

She smiled up at him. "I'm Lyra, but you already know that. I moved here a couple of years ago." She would stick with that story in case anyone ever asked.

"Not to be rude, but why would you willingly do this?"

Lucy bit her lip. _Why did she do this? Escape an arranged marriage, only to enter another one with certain death?_ She had no idea what she had bargained for when she agreed to do this. As far as she knew, there was nothing good in it for her - besides a crown she would wear until dawn.

"I... I have no idea." But this didn't mean she didn't have any tricks up her sleeve, however useless they may be.

To his credit, Gray stayed silent in response and decided not to prod her. He simply opened a door and held it open for Lucy.

"Thank you," she whispered as he began to close it. The door paused as the guard sighed, jaw tightening.

"Are you sure you want to get married to him? I can find a way to let you go if you want to turn back now." His gaze was sincere and held good intentions.

A terrible silence hung heavily in the air, until finally-

"I will marry the Caliph and go through with this. And hopefully I will see you at breakfast tomorrow."

FTFTFTFTFTFTFT

The vanity table mirror reflected cold light.

Heart pounding thunderously, she ran the teeth of a jeweled comb through her golden tangles, blood rubies flashing between her fingers.

Her family would be so disappointed.

 _All the more reason to do it._

If she were to die, she would die a queen, drowned under ten feet of cool satin and solid necklaces.

From the wardrobe provided by the Caliph, she had salvaged a wine-red gown fit for royalty. Her face felt frozen in ice as she sloshed running water over her cheeks, toes numb from the cold tiles.

A knock sounded on the door, and a muffled voice appeared. "Are you ready, my lady?"

Lucy took three deep breaths.

As she stepped out, Gray's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he took her hand and led her to the entrance of the Royal Chamber. Already, there were voices discussing loudly inside, and Gray peered in.

"The new queen is here, my king."

There was a murmur as Lucy followed Gray into the chamber. While it was truly gorgeous, she stopped dead in her tracks when she looked up at the Caliph's throne.

 _Pink hair._

 **A/N: aaaaand it's showtime guys! clarification: lucy is lyra to the caliph and his guards. get ready, this is going to be a long journey. the next chapter will be up around... let's say 1/29-31.**

 ***insert all the good stuff about favoriting, following, and reviewing* ily all :)**

 **enjoy the ride.**

 **-isi**


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